


between traumas

by cloversluck



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, because we need more jancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-06-28 11:57:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19811833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloversluck/pseuds/cloversluck
Summary: series of jancy 'missing scenes' that could have taken place throughout the course of the current 3 seasons (and beyond)





	1. season 1 part 1

**Author's Note:**

> so season 3 left me wanting more jancy and because this show only airs every 20 years i figured in between the seasons i'd write a 'missing moments' series! i want to make this a chronological thing but we will see how that goes. 
> 
> anyways this is chapter one and jancy has my heart but whats new
> 
> \-----
> 
> Set somewhere in the first 3 episodes of season 1.

Nancy Wheeler was a mystery, a stunning mystery he’s known for as long as he can remember.  
They’ve been inadvertently crossing paths for all their lives, dating back to their parent’s high school years.

The population was small; at least it used to be at the time. There was nothing uncommon about everyone knowing everyone, no matter the level of superiority that high-schoolers had placed on each other. Hawkins was your simplified stereotypical mid-eastern town of Indiana.

Jonathan wonders if during a different time, an alternate version of life would have resulted in the fulfillment of wondered clichés or if he had been doomed from the beginning to break out of fitting in. If the universe somehow methodically planned his damnation in the vast world of managing connections with his peers.

Not that he cared, because he didn’t.

Generally.

His tired gaze lingered on the images splayed out in front of him, the piles seemingly building up by themselves along with the poster boards and random writing tools.

Words of ‘Missing’ and ‘Have you seen me?’ catching his frantic glances as he began to wake up from the nap that he had apparently fallen into. Thoughts were racing through his brain, the routine of stress and panic jolting his senses back into reality.

Will.

Missing.

Talking lights.

It had been three days since he disappeared from them, one since his Mom tried to get him to understand the unique way that Will had apparently been talking to her. Sitting on their couch he couldn’t help but feel that ping of guilt that has been coming and going since they had their argument. He didn’t think she was crazy, not really. Does he believe in communication through Christmas string lights? He’s not sure, but he does believe his Mom is just as desperate as him to have Will back safe.

It was only the two of them through this. All they had to lean on was each other in all reality. The reminder of his lack of actual connections with people came back into his mind.

Was it selfish?

Considering his petty concerns when his brother was missing and his mother was quickly losing her mind? Probably.

He wasn’t a perfect guy. There’s no point in trying to act like he was, but he tried to make up for it. Hence him spending the last half a day in the school’s library (much to the dismay and aggravation of the librarian) making pictures for the fifty missing posters and researching on the best way to format the information about Will.  
The first round of fliers had been pinned to various boards and posts yesterday, some of them published at his school. Which had been an experience in on itself considering the school has now deemed him not only the silent weirdo but also as a brother killer. He could have made the assumption that they thought they were being subtle in their conversation with each other. Leaning against each other by the lockers, their stares locked on him pinning the poster alerting them to the information that they were sure to have already known.

It had been her who intervened with kinder words about him, although they sounded unsure. Honestly he wasn’t sure what to think of the given situation. Surprised wouldn’t be the right word to describe his feelings, she was always a mellow and accepting person than the ‘friends’ she would hang around.

No, he wasn’t surprised. Until she walked towards him and uttered that small, “Hey”

Her words following were careful and given quick thought. It might not have been much but the gesture was appreciated for what it was an attempt to be.

“Thanks.”

…...........

He’s been back home, away from people since his visit to his father which ended up being a pointless crusade. He is certain his conversation with him was enough to tire him out and fall into the long nap he had just woke up from. Still, it spared Hopper or his Mom from bothering with him and his teenage girlfriend’s bullshit. Few things were in their control right now but he’ll be damned before his Mom has to deal with Lonnie again.

A forced yawn escaped his mouth as he thought about his trip again and his eyes turned towards the watch on his wrist.

10:23 in bold font looked back at him. Early enough.

Slowly he peeled himself off the couch, much to the annoyance of his sleep deprived body. Maybe if he goes to bed now he can get at least five hours before he has to be up to make breakfast and head off to school. Sadly the thought of good sleep was the best thing that’s happened to him all day, or being honest, all week.

His feet dragged as he made his way towards his room, his mind finally succumbing to the idea of resting. One final yawn began to make its way past his lips when a familiar shrill rang out in the otherwise silent house.

He’d be lying if he said it didn’t make him jump, the past week it’s been uncommon for the phone to ring and it not instantly be picked up by his Mom. Earlier in the day he had pushed her to go to work and focus her mind on something else, if that was possible. She’s been there for the past six hours so he assumed his plan worked to some degree.

“Hello?” his voice was scratchy from lack of use through the day

“Jonathan?”

Wait.

“…Nancy?”

“Hi, uh..I..um..”

Her stammering almost makes him laugh, but he holds that back. He guesses if for some reason he called her home he would be surprised to hear her voice instead of her mothers or even Mikes. Crossing paths has never been common for the two….until recently.

The poster conversation and the fun experience of having his pictures torn were two freshest events in his mind. The latter made him want to curl into a ball and hide for a eternity but what’s done is done. He doesn’t think she would believe him if he told her why he was taking all those pictures in the first place so why bother? It’s not like their lives will continue to be involved.

“I thought your Mom would pick up I..”

What.

“No she uh, she’s at work. I can take a message though?”

Take a message. Sure Jonathan, what a route to choose.

Judging by the snicker that she was clearly trying to stifle on the other end, her thoughts probably weren’t any less amused.

“No it’s just--my Mom wanted to know if she was okay. She had mentioned that she went over to your house and your Mom didn’t seem well.” she let out a small cough, “My mom took Holly to some dance class and she’s going to be gone for a while so I offered to call and check before it got too late—I know it’s like ten but—”

“She’s uh—as well as she can be I guess. She even moved some of the lights back into their actual rooms which is a sort of step I mean..”

“Lights?”

“It’s nothing, just something happening. Grief? Confusion? I don’t know it’s--”

“…Are you okay?”

His grip on the phone tightened.

“What?”

Something in him felt like it snapped. As soon as he heard the words, his chest felt noticeably heavier. It was the first time somebody has asked him that since all of this started.

“Jonathan?”

“I don’t know..” his voice was quieter than before, now with his throat feeling tighter

“I know it’s hard,” he could hear her voice slightly shaking at this point “Not knowing where he could be or what happened to him. Questioning how he could possibly just….disappear from the world.”

Her words were understanding and emotion driven, that much was easy to tell even through the distanced conversation. There was a pain to her tone that felt more personal than she let on. Like there was a connection to the idea of disappearance that went deeper than just her sympathies. That’s when he remembered the many conversations he remembers hearing over the past day or so.

Barb is missing.

Missing in the same way that Will is missing. One moment she was around and the next she wasn’t. He isn’t sure of all of the details but he does know that she was Nancy’s best friend or at least someone who she seemed to always be around. He wondered what that was like.

“I’m sorry about Barb.”

Her breath hitched at his words.

Shit.

“Oh”

“No I just—heard some people talking about it and—”

“Nothing is actually certain you know. They don’t—cant-- know what they’re talking about”

“Then I’m potentially sorry, I just obviously know how it feels and—”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

“….Okay”

Both lines went silent for a pregnant minute. He wouldn’t consider it an awkward moment but more so a one that consists of uncertainty. Neither one knows the other well enough to allow the conversation to go deeper even if they had wanted it to. Their sudden bond in despair and panic not strong enough to break down that prior wall.

“Hey so it’s late..”

And there was the out of the conversation.

“School tomorrow and everything sure I get it, same boat.”

Another laugh was heard from her end, a forced attempt at breaking the sudden tension. “Yeah. I um—” she let out a weighted sigh and her voice turned more serious, “Really hope Will comes home safe Jonathan.”

He’d be lying if he said the depth of feeling in her tone didn’t make his breath catch

“Same to you Nancy, I mean it.”

“..Goodnight.”

“Night.”

He waited a second before clicking the phone back in it’s place on the wall. There wasn’t a part of him that was certain how long afterwards he stood there and just stared. Nothing about this current situation felt real to him. Last week? He was worried about some test for a subject he can’t even currently recall. Just the memory of his teacher saying if he failed any more tests, he would have to take the class over next semester. The knot that formed in his stomach felt petty compared to the one that his body is hosting now.

The tiredness that was ever so overbearing is quickly returning to him as he looks at the time now on the clock; 11:04.

He doesn’t know how but somehow that forty-minute conversation only did more to concern him and his already there fears. None of this was in any of their control, nobody could fix it.

To hell with it though.

Nothing is going to get him to stop. Not when his brother isn’t safe, not when his Mother isn’t well and not when more people seem to be disappearing.

As he laid down in his bed, his aching body instantly began to shut down.

He can’t give up. He must keep going.

For Will.

For Mom.

Now for Nancy.


	2. season 1 part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> takes place between s1 episode 4 and 5.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2! when i was re-watching season 1, one part that i wish would have been explored more had been the idea that jonathan wasn't okay about the actual funeral they had to go to for 'will'. even though at this point it was kinda obvious that everybody knew something was up i still feel like he would be bothered by the idea itself. hence this chapter! also, 100% this is more of a jonathan 'about me' in some sections rather than a jancy fic i cant help myself.

Today wasn’t a day that he ever thought, even with the recent events, would be happening. Never in his worst and most horrific nightmares would he think of this happening. It was a Saturday, early in the morning. 8:00 a.m. to be exact.

His hands were grabbing the tie that was hanging loose from his neck on either side. The room was silent aside from his frustrated sighs as he made the attempt (fourth attempt) at tying the garment into something at least slightly presentable.

“Everything alright?” a voice near his doorway appeared.

He’s never been a jumpy person or one to scare easily but lately everything has felt more eerie. Naturally because of this his reaction was nothing but fitting. He swears he felt himself jump at least two feet upwards and back, though it probably wasn’t even more than a couple of inches off of the ground. All he knows for certain is that however high or far he had leaped he was currently splayed out on the ground. “I-I’m fine.” He quickly spoke as he glanced over at his mother who was now closer to him and reaching her arm out to help him back to his feet.

He flipped over to his side and pushed himself up on his own, knowing that her gesture was more of sympathy than practicality. When he was finally upright again he turned back to the mirror had been looking at, now glancing at his Mom through it as he straightened out the tie fabric once more. It was apparent that she had already been crying, based on the redness in her eyes and face. Her clothes were neat but large on her small frame; the challenge of remembering to eat is something that has been all too familiar in their house.

“I just wanted to check up on you, we have to be the first ones there to greet—“ ,one of her hands went up to her face as her eyes watered again, “everyone and it’s all so quick so we probably need to uh, figure out the….eulogies.” her last words were choked as a forced sob came out.

He instinctively went towards her and much like that moment when the sheet was pulled from Will’s body at the coroner, she collapsed into him. Her cries echoed throughout the room and for the first time since all of this transpired he found himself almost crying along with her.

Nothing about this made sense to him.

Why them? Isn’t there some kind of cosmic law that one family can’t have more than a certain amount of terrible plaque them in their lives?

As he stood there in his room with his crying mom hugging tightly onto him, both of them dressed for his brother’s funeral he had a feeling things were about to get a lot worse before they had the chance to get better. 

People seemed to pile into the small funeral parlor at the same time. It was now close to 10 in the morning.

He and Joyce arrived half an hour earlier, thankfully making it before the crowd that was now pushing their way through in an unorderly mess. Seeing all of the unfamiliar faces was bittersweet. On one hand he was happy to see so many mourning the lost boy but at the same time, was it sorrow that lead them to the service? Or rather a deep interest in the finale to the top news story of the week?

His jaded thoughts were halted when he saw Nancy slowly making her way into the building with her family. Inadvertently his gaze locked on her, their conversation from yesterday flooding back into his mind. How she noticed the same monster looking man that appeared in some of his pictures. Before his conversation with her, he hadn’t given it much thought. Hadn’t bother to add it on the list of current complications.

In a lot of ways it made him feel even worse for the way he had been around his Mom and his quick judgement on her mental health. He remembers clearly when she had told him about the lights and how it seemed like Will was right there with her in those moments when they had blinked over each letter painted on the wall. Right now it didn’t seem any crazier than the concept of a monster kidnapping Barb.

He wondered if she was thinking the same.

As people began to sit in the many pews that lined the otherwise small square room, his mind wandered once more. Away from Nancy and away from the images of bad sci-fi movies that all the talk of monsters reminded him so vividly of.

It went back to his brother. Who was now lying in the casket not twenty feet away from his seat.

It garnered a lot of strength to make himself step in the direction of where he needed to go, finding solace in the fact that he wouldn’t be alone.

His mother hadn’t stopped tearing up or completely crying all morning since the talk in his room. She needed him to be strong, so for now, consider him unbreakable.

As he slowly sat down, he noticed others finally taking their own not previously selected seats. Naturally all of Will’s friends sat in the row directly behind them. He considered what they knew already. If somehow they were in touch with the odd situation that had the potential to be linked to Will.

He could hear their quick words and quiet snickering every once in a while. Their lack of grievance gave him hope that they too were keeping a secret, a secret that would make everyone around them think they were crazy.

Lights.

No faced monsters.

At one point their voices get slightly louder and he can make out some of the words. Their discussion seemed limited to certain girls being at Will’s funeral, how impressive that was and giggles at how the beginning speaker kept saying ‘but’.

He clasped his hands together in attempt to begin something that resembled a prayer, assuming them being in a church heightened his chances at success.

Please let their lack of concern come from a place of hope.

\-----

The priest began to speak once all of the casual talking in the building died down. Not even a second into the speech he felt a hand on his shoulder and somebody slide into the section of the pew directly to his left.

Nancy.

His gaze locked on hers, an inadvertent attempt to ignore the blatant stares from his parents. Even in a setting like this he has no doubt that they are surprised to see him talking with his peers, let alone a girl.

“Hey.” her voice was quiet, as the result of her leaning in close to his ear.

Okay, that’s fine.

“Hi.”

“About earlier, our talk? Are we still on?”

Her question amusing to him. He understood why she felt the need to ask, with the task being so ridiculous and seemingly out of this world.

Monster hunting. That’s what they ended up calling it.

“Of course, but we need to discuss what the actual plan is. There wasn’t time earlier to--”

In the middle of his words, he suddenly felt a soft hand being placed on top of his own. Mom.

Quickly he shifted his attention towards her, knowing that their conversation was probably too out of place at this point to not address. Silently he nodded at her, signalling that he would stop. The last thing he intended to do today was make the situation worse for her. Not even a conversation with Nancy would be worth that.

On his right side he felt yet another soft touch, this time it being Nancy. She didn’t say anything as she quietly got up and went back to the seat that she had apparently picked out before sneaking her way to the front.

They’d talk later.

In no way would be risk continuing the conversation and having to explain to his Mom that they had a picture that could possibly be the outline of a monster from another world. Even with her demanding that the Christmas lights were talking to her he couldn’t imagine that his story would bode well in the end.

There was an hour before he had to go on the small stage and give his eulogy that was shoddily written, the words even sounding hollow to himself .

Four hours until the service was over.

Undetermined hours until he felt like he could breathe normally again.

\-----

His predictions were a smidge off.

Two hours off to be exact.

Turns out mentally preparing for a certain time doesn’t work out too well when you are trying to keep yourself emotionally afloat.

Hence him almost running out of the church when the service finally ends. He became acutely aware of the way his chest felt when he would take in a breath near the end of the speeches. It surprised him that his erratic pattern didn’t result in passing out.

“Jonathan!”

Somehow she managed to make her away across the room to meet him at the doors, where he currently had his hands resting on in an attempt to make his quiet escape.

Her eyes seemed to be latch onto his face, one of her own hands clutching his arm. The combination of the two actions made him slightly blush (what? he’s human) but didn’t manage to clear his mind of his troubles that were sending him into the panic he felt.

Before answering her he pushed on the door and let the outside air fill his lungs. Naturally she followed, the prompt of holding the door a habit for him.

After a few breaths be managed to collect himself enough to speak. “Are we doing the right thing?”

He didn’t mean to return her greeting like that. His stress was slowly creeping back out of him but with all of the given events there was still that struggle to maintain a clear and focused mind.

“...What?”she paused once out, letting the door slam shut behind her.

“What we’re doing, is it the right thing?” he isn’t quite sure where his sudden doubt came from. Or why he was even questioning the plan that they had worked out over the past couple of days with each other. Maybe it was the attendance of the funeral and the constant people coming up to him and expressing their sorrow for his lost brother.

“We have to find them Jonathan. Barb and your brother are stuck with that...thing in whatever assumed place it came from and the longer we wait--”

“How do you know either one is still alive Nancy? We are literally at my brothers funeral--”

“You said your Mom didn’t believe he was dead, that she had talked to him multiple times--”

“You didn’t see her today Nancy.” his voice was low, it didn’t seem possible to raise it at this point nor did he trust himself to talk in a louder way without triggering the burning feeling in his throat to finally be released in the form of tears, “she was ruined, broken this morning before we got here and seeing Will laying, still in that casket just--” a couple of tears dripped down his face at this point.

“Jonathan…”

She moved forward to where he had begun to walk, edging closer to where the actual graveyard was and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Well, alright.

He pulled his arms from his sides, which felt like two weights at this point, and placed them around her middle back. She wasn’t hugging him tightly at this point but he still felt like the breath was taken out of him for the seemingly millionth time today.

“I just need to be sure,” he went to rest his head on top of her own which made her grab him a bit more firm, “I know Barb isn’t safe and you’re scared. I know that Will c-could be alive but I just...need to be positive that, that--”

“You’re going monster hunting for a good reason and not because of some insane hunch.”

A laugh forced its way out before he managed to reel it back in causing a rumbling through both of their bodies. “Yeah, something like that.”

More people began to make their way out of the church, slowly spreading further into the grassed area near where they currently were. Holding each other and laughing.

Hm.

The realization caused him to let her go, pulling back slightly so that her arms dropped from around his waist. He lowered his gaze so that he met her eyes, “Thanks Nancy.”

In all reality he still wasn’t 100% sure of their plan. If what they were thinking of doing even made any sort of sense. It was all based on a hunch after all, a single picture that managed to trigger both of their memories and open their minds to unworldly possibilities.

She ducked her head slightly at his thanks, folding her arms across her chest. A habit that seems automatic for her in situations of uncertainty.

After a minute she picked her head back up, her face more serious “So, you said you had a plan?”

The plan.

It wasn’t a deep rooted plan, more so just a layout of where all of the events had taken place. Either way it was a start and he was hopeful that Nancy would be able to come up with more ideas to add onto his own. From the time he has spent in various different grades with her, he could make the assumption that she would be able to outwit him.  
During his thoughts he dug through the couple of pockets that lined the suit he was wearing, having a difficult time remembering which one had the sheet of paper he drew on. Aha!

He pulled out the small white bundle and quickly began unraveling it. “It’s not much...but it’s a start.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end! for now. 
> 
> i'm going to be taking prompts for this series since i really want it to just expand on everything and anything that the show didn't give to us regarding jancy. we deserve more of them damnit. so if anybody wants anything in particular please feel free to let me know!
> 
> \--
> 
> p.s. to those of you who left comments, you made my day/week! i adore the feedback and the mentions that this was in character. that is seriously one of the best compliments i swear. <3<3


	3. season part 3a

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> takes place in between s1 episode 4 and 5 (again, whoops)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so episodes 4 5 and 6 are my favorites of the first season in terms of jancy for obvious reasons. i hope you all enjoy way too many chapters dedicated to these three episodes. im about to dive into it cause i cant control myself.

Their plan was in motion...sort of.

After the funeral, after both of their doubts began to subside every so slightly they began to come up with something that was at the very least less convoluted than their other ideas. 

It turns out they work pretty well together.The short amount of time they had spent in discussion at the funeral and the car ride back to their respective houses pushed the sporadic thoughts to become feasible plans. 

Plans that they were both eager to get started on. So eager in fact that within the next day, they would be meeting back up to head off into the wide array of forest that seemed to surround the town of Hawkins. 

24 hours didn’t seem like a lot of time to him but Nancy seemed pretty positive about the whole situation. After she had gotten past her initial shock of him grabbing his Father’s gun and carrying on about how they needed to kill the monster, her puissant attitude shown through. 

She was insistent on the fact that they gather as many items that could be used as weapons to defeat this thing and meet up in an hour to go over a possible training session. 

Training session. 

With Nancy Wheeler. 

To go fight a monster with no face that might be the reason both Will and Barb are now missing. 

Honestly what the hell was this week. He just wishes it would all end, or better yet, that one of them would wake up and it would be revealed as some sort of extremely vivid dream sequence. At this point it didn’t seem any more unlikely than what has already been thrown at them. 

Maybe if he thought about it really hard his wish would come true and the nightmare would be his pass to get out of teaching himself how to shoot the gun he was currently staring at on the table in front of him. The rabbit from those six years ago that he last used the gun on still haunted his mind. 

He wasn’t afraid to admit that he wasn’t fond of guns. 

Beyond the initial panic and willingness to just end this...thing that had potentially taken his brother was inner fear for the actual fight. He's never been good at fighting. 

Or rather he wasn’t fond of it, he could throw a punch or two if needed but the history with what he had witnessed from Lonnie made him apprehensive even in the most dire situation. He knew it wasn’t reasonable or even realistic but he had a fear of becoming like him. Not violent or threatening but rather jaded and bitter towards the world. He didn’t want to lose the hope that the world can be a good place even with this new addition of potentially supernatural bullshit. 

A sudden beeping close to him pulled him from the sort of trance that his thoughts put him into. 

12.00 p.m. 

It was the time that he had set on his watch so that he knew when to go to the location that they both had picked out to do their sudden training session together. They decided to meet in the middle, the section of forest that rested in between their homes. It was a subtle gesture on both of their parts but neither one wanted to make anything else difficult. 

All of the sudden they were thrown into it all, together. The trauma made neither one mind trying to come to the others aid. 

As the beeping watch continued and eventually stopped as the time went by, he picked back up the gun and wrapped it in the cloth that he had placed it in after bringing it home. It then went in the bag he had all of the other items that he had collected to go over with Nancy as possible weapons. 

Maybe if he got there a little while before they were supposed to meet up he could practice. Spare himself and Nancy the remembering of the sad day of his tenth birthday and the ridiculous scar it had left on him ever since. 

Stupid Lonnie. 

\----- 

It turns out getting to the forest early didn’t make much of a difference since Nancy seemed to have the same idea. He had only managed to set up the cans he found scattered throughout his house and load his gun enough for one shot each at them before she had shown up. 

With her she had her bag and a baseball bat. Apparently she had the same panicked idea as his own when she was searching for things to go into a fight with. Cliches and anything easy to throw automatically would come to mind. Them having similarities at any other time would make him laugh. 

That urge was quickly dismissed however, when he realized that she was actually a good shot. After he had admitted his hunting story (damn it) she asked take an aim at the array of cans on the stumps. 

By the time she finished all were down thrown around with bullets driven through their thin metal frames. 

Well. 

Alright. 

That works. 

The look on her face as she turned back towards him was one of shock and he could only assume that the expression on his own was matching. 

“Well...at least one of us has a chance at taking this thing down.” 

“I…..” she seemed speechless by her own actions as she dropped the now empty gun in front of her. “Yeah.” 

She seemed….worried? Apprehensive? 

“...You okay?” 

“What are the chances?” 

“What?” 

“What are the chances that this...thing will be such an easy target?” 

“Nancy….” 

She let out a sigh that was weighted, sounding almost too heavy to have come out of her small frame. 

“I know that my shots were lucky given that I’ve never done anything like this before but how likely is that luck to stick? When we are up against something that came from god knows where?” 

She had a point. A point that has resurfaced in his own mind over a dozen times it seems. Neither of them know what they are truly going to be up against, if the bullets or whacks from a bat will even phase it in the slightest. 

He wishes he could be more of a comfort to her, similar to the way that she had been a comfort to him when they were at his brothers ‘funeral’. 

His thoughts remained blank however, since he knew deep down and even on the surface that her worries were valid and not easy to dispute. 

“I…” he began uncertainly as she looked on at him expectantly, “..don’t know.” 

Smooth. 

At his words she plopped herself down next to her bag on the ground, “I just…” she looked down for a brief moment and then back up at his standing form, “What the hell? You know?” 

A laugh forced its way through his lips as her words. He honestly even sure he finds what she said to be all that funny but in their situation there doesn’t seem to be anything more fitting than a basic ‘what the hell’. 

As he continued to quietly chuckle to himself he took a seat in the crunchy fall grass near her. 

Nothing about their current lives seemed normal, the entire week was like something out of a bad sci-fi book. 

“Practice is the only useful thing we can do right now...I guess” his attempt to be comforting didn’t sound fantastic to his own ears and yet he continued, “All I know is that, beginners luck or not, you are handling the shooting.” 

Part of him felt bad for pushing the task onto her, but he knew that there was no way for him to be able to maintain that level of accuracy especially in the panic of meeting this monster. Even at her most terrible he imagined that she couldn’t be any worse than him. Not even being able to hit still cans 30 feet away from him. 

After a few beats of silence her faint laugh graced his ears. It made him smile. 

Cool. 

“It’s good to have a plan.” her fingers twisted in the grass springing up from the ground in front of her, “and besides, I don’t mind protecting you.” her eyes met his as she spoke the words. It was clear that she meant it, losing even somebody like him whom she was not the closest to the last thing that she wanted to happen. 

He swears he felt his heart flip as he let her words sink in, even considering the circumstances. 

Shit, jesus christ.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was this chapter needed? probably not but hell, i'm having a good time! 
> 
> also! this was originally supposed to carry on into the scenes where they actually go to 'find' the monster but im serious when i say i could go on for thousands of words regarding those moments so i figured i'd make this chapter shorter and the next one longer. 
> 
> also also! because the wait for season 4 is gonna be long and drawn out i figured i'd update this only once or twice a month so that i can continue it for a bit cause i don't want this to end. 
> 
> thanks for reading! prompts are welcome just in case ^^


End file.
